Question 1: On a return can you hit the ball directly out of the air without it hitting the table first?
Question 2: If Player #1 serves or returns a ball that goes beyond the other side of the table, and the ball comes in contact with Player #2's paddle, does Player #1 get the point?
Law 2.5.8 A player obstructs the ball if he, or anything he wears or carries, touches it in play when it is above or travelling towards the playing surface, not having touched his court since last being struck by his opponent.
and
Law 2.10.1 Unless the rally is a let, a player shall score a point
Law 2.10.1.5 if his opponent obstructs the ball;
So, as you can see, when returning the ball a player must wait for it to hit his side of the table first. If a player hits the ball before it bounces, but the ball is not above the playing surface and is not travelling towards the playing surface the player wins the point.
In Question 2 above, Player #2 would get the point, since the ball has gone over the endline and is heading away from the playing surface.
